Patriot and union vol 3 no. 46

Correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Interesting from Utah. CAMP SCOTT, U. T., Monday, March 1, 1858. One who has not been accustomed to this climate could hardly believe the rapid changes which it undergoes. When I wrote you my last letter I had to thaw my ink, and with difficulty only could I keep myself from freezing inside my tent. Now I am writing without fire and am very comfortable. Were it not for the lack of verdure in our landscape, and the mountains, apparently within stone's throw of us, whose tops and sides are groaning under their heavy mantle of snow, and the ice yet bridging over our little stream, I would think that I was writing this on a summer's day, and under a tropical sun. To-day is really a spring day—warm, pleasant and lovely without. The thermometer marks 56 deg. above zero. This opens well for March. It is an old saying that when March "comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion." If this holds good here, we are yet to be reminded that we are still in the Rocky Mountains. The old mountain men, however, say the winter is over. One of them told me that he saw, the other day, grass growing on the sunny side of the elevations. The snow is all gone from the valleys and lower latitudes where the sun could shine. About two weeks ago the weather changed suddenly from cool to warm, and has continued warm ever since; but the mountain streams have not yet began to flow. The beef stored away for our supplies until spring has commeneed to thaw. Fears are entertained that much of it will spoil if this warm spell continues. But efforts are being made to preserve it by surrounding it with ice. If this project fails, we have about six hundred head of cattle on the hoof, that can be slaughtered at pleasure, to supply the demand. Six hundred more can be had from Platte Bridge early in the spring. Divers rumors are afloat in camp concerning the attitude of the Mormons in Salt Lake.—But we have no reliable information from that quarter. One of these rumors says that the Mormons are all leaving the city and seeking refuge in the mountains. Another states that they are sending only their women and children to the mountains and outside villages for security, while the fighting population are to remain and prepare to give us a hot and inhospitable reception in the spring. These rumors are brought in by the Indians, who may be interested in behalf of the Mormons, to circulate them. No tidings have reached us from Capt. Marcy, whose return from Taos, New Mexico, is expected in April, or sooner. Neither have we heard from the "Rangers," under Ficklin, who left more than two months ago, to go to the "Flat Head" nation for Indian ponies. His return is also expected soon. The expedition alluded to in my last article, as having gone to reinforce Capt. Marcy, has been so fortunate as to reclaim forty-four battery horses, which were supposed to have been stolen from the army last fall. These horses were brought into camp three days ago by some Utah Indians. On being questioned where the horses were found, these Indians would only reply; "away off yonder; away off; many heap of sleeps from here." It is supposed they were reclaimed somewhere in the Uinta valley. They are in fine condition. The disposition of the troops is about the same as when I wrote last, except that Major Sibley has moved his company about ten miles below us, and encamped on Black's Fork. Lieutenant Hight has moved his company of dragoons from Smith's Fork, and joined Major Sibley. It became necessary to station these two companies of dragoons there, for the purpose of protecting the animals that are to be herded there. Two days ago intelligence came to us, that the body of a man was found hanging to a tree near Smith's Fork. Some dragoons found the body thus suspended, cut it down and buried it. A jury was ordered to hold an inquest on the body, for the purpose of pertaining the particulars of his death and identifying the man. 'Squire Burr, (son of the Surveyor General of this territory,) Marshal Dotson, and Surgeon Bailey, of the United States army, were dispatched to Smith's Fork, with an order to exhume the body and proceed with the coroner's inquest. They returned yesterday and reported their inability to find the grave. Lieutenant Hight had moved his camp, and the soldiers who buried the body were not on hand to point out the grave. I understand the party will be sent back again, and that the soldier who found the body will accompany them. It is not known positively, who the man was that was hung. Those who found him, report that he had red whiskers and a mark, as if from a cut, on the right cheek. His skull was knocked in behind. This shows that he did not hang himself. The body had the appearance of having been hanging there some months. His eyes were eaten out by the crows, and his face was so picked and mangled that nothing more was observed which could aid in identifying the individual. There are, however, strong reasons for believing the body to be that of Dr. George W. Hickman, who was released from Colonel Alexander's camp last fall. Dr. Hickman had a red goatee on his chin, and a whitish mustache. He also had a scar on his right cheek. A few days after Dr. Hickman left our camp it was whispered around among the mountain men here "that he had not been able to make the connection," meaning that he had been cutoff before he could join the Mormons, then at Fort Bridger. Dr. Hickman, as well as his brother, the notorious Bill Hickman, had much to do in the outrages committed against the resident mountain men. His clique, headed by Bill Hickman, had driven them from their homes, had stolen their horses and cattle, and had remorselessly appropriated to their own use much of their property. It was stated as a fact I that the mule which Dr. Hickman rode out of our camp, when he was released, was stolen by Bill Hickman from one of our guides, now present in our camp. It is thus rendered highly probable that the dead body is that of Dr. Hickman, who was murdered to gratify the malice, which all the mountaineers bear, not only to the Mormons generally, but particularly to "Bill" Hickman, the Doctor and their clan. By the next mail I shall be able to give you more particulars concerning this inhuman affair. The body will be dissected by a surgeon, with a view of identifying it. It was not known till last week that anything more could be done by the agents of Messrs. Russell & Waddle, contractors to freight for the army here, or that another disclosure of the doings of this firm could be made which could surprise any body here. Last week, on examining the wagons that Mr. Rupp, their agent, packed at Fort Bridger, there were found in an anterior wagon one thousand pounds of powder, and other merchandise, directed to Eldridge, the agent for the Mormon church, with "For X. Y." underneath. "X. Y." means the Church of Mormon. This powder and this merchandise Russell & Waddle, through their agent, Mr. Rupp, carted all the way across the plains for the enemies of the government, which employed Russell & Waddle to freight provisions for the army it has sent here to put down the Mormon rebellion! Let us hope the gentlemen of the firm knew nothing of this—that, it was the act of their agent, Mr. Rupp. We are awaiting anxiously the February mail from the States. Unless the President sends positive instructions to Colonel Johnson to remain here until reinforcements reach us, this "little" army, as it is styled by our sympathizing friends in the States, will be in Salt Lake City by the middle of June. It will move from here in April, and if a battle is to be fought it will be decided soon. I am assured of one thing—namely, that it is not the intention of Colonel Johnson to retrace a step which his army has taken or is to take.

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Correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Interesting from Utah. CAMP SCOTT, U. T., Monday, March 1, 1858. One who has not been accustomed to this climate could hardly believe the rapid changes which it undergoes. When I wrote you my last letter I had to thaw my ink, and with difficulty only could I keep myself from freezing inside my tent. Now I am writing without fire and am very comfortable. Were it not for the lack of verdure in our landscape, and the mountains, apparently within stone's throw of us, whose tops and sides are groaning under their heavy mantle of snow, and the ice yet bridging over our little stream, I would think that I was writing this on a summer's day, and under a tropical sun. To-day is really a spring day—warm, pleasant and lovely without. The thermometer marks 56 deg. above zero. This opens well for March. It is an old saying that when March "comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion." If this holds good here, we are yet to be reminded that we are still in the Rocky Mountains. The old mountain men, however, say the winter is over. One of them told me that he saw, the other day, grass growing on the sunny side of the elevations. The snow is all gone from the valleys and lower latitudes where the sun could shine. About two weeks ago the weather changed suddenly from cool to warm, and has continued warm ever since; but the mountain streams have not yet began to flow. The beef stored away for our supplies until spring has commeneed to thaw. Fears are entertained that much of it will spoil if this warm spell continues. But efforts are being made to preserve it by surrounding it with ice. If this project fails, we have about six hundred head of cattle on the hoof, that can be slaughtered at pleasure, to supply the demand. Six hundred more can be had from Platte Bridge early in the spring. Divers rumors are afloat in camp concerning the attitude of the Mormons in Salt Lake.—But we have no reliable information from that quarter. One of these rumors says that the Mormons are all leaving the city and seeking refuge in the mountains. Another states that they are sending only their women and children to the mountains and outside villages for security, while the fighting population are to remain and prepare to give us a hot and inhospitable reception in the spring. These rumors are brought in by the Indians, who may be interested in behalf of the Mormons, to circulate them. No tidings have reached us from Capt. Marcy, whose return from Taos, New Mexico, is expected in April, or sooner. Neither have we heard from the "Rangers," under Ficklin, who left more than two months ago, to go to the "Flat Head" nation for Indian ponies. His return is also expected soon. The expedition alluded to in my last article, as having gone to reinforce Capt. Marcy, has been so fortunate as to reclaim forty-four battery horses, which were supposed to have been stolen from the army last fall. These horses were brought into camp three days ago by some Utah Indians. On being questioned where the horses were found, these Indians would only reply; "away off yonder; away off; many heap of sleeps from here." It is supposed they were reclaimed somewhere in the Uinta valley. They are in fine condition. The disposition of the troops is about the same as when I wrote last, except that Major Sibley has moved his company about ten miles below us, and encamped on Black's Fork. Lieutenant Hight has moved his company of dragoons from Smith's Fork, and joined Major Sibley. It became necessary to station these two companies of dragoons there, for the purpose of protecting the animals that are to be herded there. Two days ago intelligence came to us, that the body of a man was found hanging to a tree near Smith's Fork. Some dragoons found the body thus suspended, cut it down and buried it. A jury was ordered to hold an inquest on the body, for the purpose of pertaining the particulars of his death and identifying the man. 'Squire Burr, (son of the Surveyor General of this territory,) Marshal Dotson, and Surgeon Bailey, of the United States army, were dispatched to Smith's Fork, with an order to exhume the body and proceed with the coroner's inquest. They returned yesterday and reported their inability to find the grave. Lieutenant Hight had moved his camp, and the soldiers who buried the body were not on hand to point out the grave. I understand the party will be sent back again, and that the soldier who found the body will accompany them. It is not known positively, who the man was that was hung. Those who found him, report that he had red whiskers and a mark, as if from a cut, on the right cheek. His skull was knocked in behind. This shows that he did not hang himself. The body had the appearance of having been hanging there some months. His eyes were eaten out by the crows, and his face was so picked and mangled that nothing more was observed which could aid in identifying the individual. There are, however, strong reasons for believing the body to be that of Dr. George W. Hickman, who was released from Colonel Alexander's camp last fall. Dr. Hickman had a red goatee on his chin, and a whitish mustache. He also had a scar on his right cheek. A few days after Dr. Hickman left our camp it was whispered around among the mountain men here "that he had not been able to make the connection," meaning that he had been cutoff before he could join the Mormons, then at Fort Bridger. Dr. Hickman, as well as his brother, the notorious Bill Hickman, had much to do in the outrages committed against the resident mountain men. His clique, headed by Bill Hickman, had driven them from their homes, had stolen their horses and cattle, and had remorselessly appropriated to their own use much of their property. It was stated as a fact I that the mule which Dr. Hickman rode out of our camp, when he was released, was stolen by Bill Hickman from one of our guides, now present in our camp. It is thus rendered highly probable that the dead body is that of Dr. Hickman, who was murdered to gratify the malice, which all the mountaineers bear, not only to the Mormons generally, but particularly to "Bill" Hickman, the Doctor and their clan. By the next mail I shall be able to give you more particulars concerning this inhuman affair. The body will be dissected by a surgeon, with a view of identifying it. It was not known till last week that anything more could be done by the agents of Messrs. Russell & Waddle, contractors to freight for the army here, or that another disclosure of the doings of this firm could be made which could surprise any body here. Last week, on examining the wagons that Mr. Rupp, their agent, packed at Fort Bridger, there were found in an anterior wagon one thousand pounds of powder, and other merchandise, directed to Eldridge, the agent for the Mormon church, with "For X. Y." underneath. "X. Y." means the Church of Mormon. This powder and this merchandise Russell & Waddle, through their agent, Mr. Rupp, carted all the way across the plains for the enemies of the government, which employed Russell & Waddle to freight provisions for the army it has sent here to put down the Mormon rebellion! Let us hope the gentlemen of the firm knew nothing of this—that, it was the act of their agent, Mr. Rupp. We are awaiting anxiously the February mail from the States. Unless the President sends positive instructions to Colonel Johnson to remain here until reinforcements reach us, this "little" army, as it is styled by our sympathizing friends in the States, will be in Salt Lake City by the middle of June. It will move from here in April, and if a battle is to be fought it will be decided soon. I am assured of one thing—namely, that it is not the intention of Colonel Johnson to retrace a step which his army has taken or is to take.